War agains the soul

BethanySMC - Thursday, 26 July 2012 10:49

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. 1Pet 2:11

Love and genuine concern, yet at the same time an urgent and earnest request is heard from the pages of the letter written by Apostle Peter to the Christians that where scattered throughout the land due to heavy persecutions. Being strangers in a foreign land, they understood the concept of being strangers and pilgrims very well. Everyone could relate to the word they have read; no true place to call home, no rights, no security of tomorrow, always on the run – treated as criminals by the general public, reproached for the name of Christ with an ongoing effort to diminish their faith and prove them wrong. Being partakers of Christ’s sufferings, Christians of the first century church were strangers and pilgrims in this world.

The approach to life is different with this kind of world view. Christians deliberately avoided many things that could take away their focus from Christ and His kingdom. Peter, in his epistle, urges the church to keep up the good fight of faith and refrain from passions that are in this world. A longing desire for anything this world has to offer, eagerness to possess or enjoy pleasures of this world – is the enemy of our souls and we ought to watch diligently and put a restraint upon those passions, not indulging our flesh with luxuries or feeding sexual appetites.

The first church fought the fight and finished the race victoriously – now is our turn. The words that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write reflects Gods will for His people for every century and generation. Those of us who consider themselves followers of Christ must truly follow Christ and His teachings, lest we loose the war and loose our souls to the devil. “Freedom of religion” doesn’t mean the end of war – day after day, this world is trying to crash your faith and destroy your soul. TV, internet, literature, music, fashions and the entire culture is saturated with lusts that promote greed, pride, sexual immorality, sensuality, unlawful desires that feed man’s carnal appetites and it is our turn now to abstain from them. It is time for us to turn off and get rid of the things that defile us, things that tempt us to sell our eternity with God in His kingdom for the momentary pleasures of sin.

Now we ought to be focused on Jesus and our true home in heaven and be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that were called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light – the same way as the Christians of the first century were. So help us God. Amen.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 26th, 2012 at 10:49 pm and is filed under Christian Living, Devotionals, Studies.
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